An older person with an old-fashioned hearing aid saying “what’s that sonny”, is what the majority of people think about when hearing loss is talked about. Having an effect on more than just your ability to hear, hearing loss has increased dramatically among all age groups. Alarming consequences result from not getting it taken care of. It’s worth having your hearing examined based solely on these four.
1. Mental Decline
Hearing is a sense that you may not associate with other health troubles but there is an association. Your cognitive function and brain health are the most significant example. Hearing decline is the true cause of certain conditions which some people associate with aging.
The brain’s innate ability to adapt to sensory changes backfires when it comes to hearing. The brain can understand sound that is processed through the inner ear when hearing is normal. It’s that mechanism of hearing that permits you to recognize the difference between the music coming from your car radio and the music the ice cream truck plays as it heads down your street.
Each microsecond, the brain encounters sound even if you’re not aware of it. If you are relaxing in a quiet room, there is still background noise around you, like the hiss of air blowing through the AC vent. Your brain interprets this as a sound you don’t need to hear, so you don’t even notice it.
The brain comes to count on this stimulus. All of a sudden, when there is hearing loss, the brain doesn’t get the same quality or quantity of sound. Thinking the missing sound should still be there, it strains to find it. The lack of stimuli causes stress to the brain resulting in cognitive decline and a higher risk of dementia. Seniors have a forty percent higher instance of memory loss and cognitive decline if they have hearing loss, according to studies. Even more compelling, people with hearing loss that get treatment such as hearings aids have been shown to improve cognitive ability.
2. Stomach Trouble
That seems like a stretch, but it’s not. Hearing loss leads to changes which are related to:
- Muscle tension
- Upset stomach
- Anxiety
The ongoing strain can cause intestinal issues like:
- Constipation
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea
More serious conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome will happen as your discomfort increases.
3. Mental Health Problems
Probably, the most noticeable side effect is the effect hearing loss has on your mental health. A 2014 study found that in adults below the age of 70, an increase in depression correlates to a loss of hearing.
Research published in the JAMA Otolaryngology Neck Surgery found people who suffer from untreated hearing loss have a hard time communicating with others and that likely is the reason for the depression. The research shows that for women between the ages of 18 to 69 the depression is more pronounced.
Over the years, many mental health conditions have been connected to neglected hearing loss such as:
- Negativism
- Social withdrawal
- Irritability
- Lack of focus
- Anger
People who aren’t able to effectively communicate stop trying and that leads to sadness and psychological anxiety.
4. Troubled Relationships
Your physical and mental health are not the only things that are impacted by hearing loss. Statistically, people make less money if they have hearing loss. A 2007 study conducted by the Better Hearing Institute found 20,000 dollars per year less is made by individuals with hearing loss in comparison to their hearing colleagues.
Hearing loss brings about problems in personal relationships, as well. A 2007 survey found 35 percent of the respondents had a hard time maintaining relationships if they suffered from hearing loss. The survey showed:
- Most women indicated relationships with family members and friends were a significant concern with the hearing loss
- Thirty-seven percent of women surveyed reported being irritated when someone who has hearing loss wasn’t listening to them
- Thirty-five percent of men Had to be pressured into getting treatment by their partner or spouse before they would agree to it.
- Forty-three percent of men indicated that they had trouble with relationships due to their hearing loss
Your self-esteem and the state of your health are impacted by hearing loss. It also has an effect on your relationships. What’s promising is many of these side effects disappear or lesson when you get help like hearing aids. Schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist to find out what course of action will work best for you.